Frequently Asked Questions
Independent Applicants

What is the process if I'm investigated for a violation of the Match Participation Agreement?

What does it mean in the R3 System when it states that an institution or program is the subject of "pending action"?

What will I need to use the NRMP R3 System?

If you can surf the Web and print from your browser, you should be able to use NRMP's interactive Web site. Users must have Internet Explorer version 6.0 (or greater) or FireFox version 3.0 or greater. Either a PC or Macintosh computer can be used provided the computer has Internet access; however, the R3 System does not support the use of Safari by Mac users. The NRMP Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System and the release of Match Week results use such features as Java Script, Java applets, and cookies that must remain enabled for the systems to work.

What are the system requirements to access the R3 System?

System Requirements:

• Access to a computer that is able to connect to the World Wide Web
• An e-mail address

Browser Requirements:

Browser Requirements: To use the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System, users must have Internet Explorer version 6.0 (or greater) or FireFox version 3.0 or greater.

The System functions best on Internet Explorer version 8.0. The R3 System uses features such as JavaScript, Java applets, and cookies, all of which must remain enabled for the System to work. Either a PC or Macintosh computer can be used provided the computer has Internet access; however, the R3 System does not support the use of Safari by Mac users. If you wish to use a Mac, please download a free version of Firefox for Mac using this link,. http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html.

JavaScript:

• You must have JavaScript enabled.

Important usage information for using R3:

• Please do not use your browser's Back and Forward buttons. Use the navigational buttons made available to you on the Web page.
• It is recommended that you close the web browser after you have logged out of R3. R3 will "time out" after a short period of time, but if you work in R3 in a public location, someone else may be able to use the Back button to view pages you have worked on. They will not be able to do any work in R3, as soon as they click any button, there will be a Security Violation error message. However, they may be able to view parts of your work. This is a feature of browsers that we can not control. Closing your browser when you are done will combat this.

Why does NRMP want my e-mail address?

E-mail is the primary mode of communication used by NRMP, so change your e-mail address as often as necessary to keep an updated e-mail address on your personal profile in R3.

To change it, simply log into the R3 System with your AAMC ID and Password, go to Update My Profile, click Edit, enter the corrected e-mail address, and click Submit.

Why have I not received any e-mail from NRMP?

Many e-mail messages from NRMP are sent simultaneously to multiple applicants. Some e-mail providers use filters to ensure that users do not receive spam (junk e-mail). In some cases those filters can prevent NRMP e-mails from getting through to participants.

The good news: the majority of providers that offer such filters generally provide the user with the option to turn the filter on or off. Other providers make a "junk mail file" or a "bulk mail folder" that includes all messages, sent to the user but identifies multiple-addressee e-mails. Our e-mail address, nrmp@aamc.org, should be added to your personal contact, address book, "Safe", or "People I Know" (for AOL users) list. For instance, if Hotmail sends an NRMP e-mail message to the Junk Mail box, you can tell Hotmail to add nrmp@aamc.org to your Safe List or to send it to your in-box.

If you are not receiving e-mail from NRMP and your provider does not offer such options, we recommend that you either contact your provider to determine the best way to access such messages or consider using an additional or replacement provider during your matching process for your primary e-mail address.

For additional information on spam filtering, please visit the sites below.

• Yahoo - Someone sent me a message and I haven't received it. What happened?
• Hotmail - Safe Sender
  After login, go to page Options > Safe and blocked senders > Safe senders. To allow nrmp@aamc.org, type it in the box, and then click Add to list.

What does ECFMG Status NOT VERIFIED mean?

After registration opens for the Main Residency Match, the NRMP contacts ECFMG® periodically up to and immediately after the rank order list deadline to verify whether graduates/students of international medical schools and Fifth Pathway program applicants have passed the required examinations. If your status is NOT VERIFIED, ECFMG® has not yet confirmed that you have passed all examinations necessary for ECFMG® certification. To be able to participate in the Main Residency Match, ECFMG® must verify your examination status, NOT your ECFMG® certification status by the rank order list deadline.

What does Credential Status NOT VERIFIED mean?

The applicant (student/graduate of Fifth Pathway programs and Canadian, osteopathic and U.S. allopathic medical schools) has not been determined to be eligible to enter graduate medical education programs by their medical school official. Verification of eligibility will begin after the initial registration deadline of December 1st. To be able to participate in the NRMP match, Credential Status must be VERIFIED by the rank order list deadline. (This verification does not apply to graduates/students of international medical schools.)

Are institutions/programs required to provide information about the appointment contract and conditions of employment?

Section 4.4 of the Match Participation Agreement for Applicants and Programs requires programs to provide complete, timely, and accurate information to interviewees, including a copy of the contract the applicant will be expected to sign if matched to the program and the institution's policies on visa status and eligibility for appointment. The information must be communicated to interviewees prior to the rank order list deadline, and a signed acknowledgment should be obtained from each interviewee. Recognizing that many appointment contracts are lengthy and that others may not contain all of the institution's relevant policies, an acceptable alternative is to post the contract and policies on the institution's Web site and notify interviewees where the information may be found. The signed acknowledgment should include a statement that the interviewee was notified that the information is posted on the Web site.

During my interview, the program director asked me about other programs to which I had applied. Am I obligated to provide that information?

Section 6.0 of the Match Participation Agreement prohibits programs from requiring applicants to reveal the names or identities of programs to which they have or may apply. Any program that requires an applicant to disclose such information is in violation of NRMP policy and will be investigated by the NRMP.

I am a foreign medical school graduate. If I have not received my ECFMG® Certification when the rank order list (ROL) opens can I still enter my rank order list (ROL)?

Yes, you can. If the NRMP receives notification from ECFMG® that you have completed the examination requirements for certification by the rank order list deadline, you will be included in the Match. If we have not received ECFMG® confirmation, NRMP will withdraw you from the match shortly after the rank order list deadline and your rank order list will NOT be used when the matching algorithm is processed. You will receive an e-mail notification from the NRMP if this occurs.

The NRMP will contact the ECFMG® again before Match Week for verification that graduates/students of international medical schools and Fifth Pathway program applicants who registered for the Match have passed the required examinations. If your status is VERIFIED, you will be able to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) and will have access to the List of Unfilled programs. If your status is NOT VERIFIED, you will not be able to participate in SOAP and you will not have access to the List of Unfilled Programs.

I would like participate in the match as a couple with my partner. Can that be done and will the NRMP link our rank order lists?

The NRMP accommodates applicants who wished to be matched as a couple. Each partner of a couple must enroll individually in the match and indicate in the NRMP R3 System that they want to participate as a couple. The NRMP allows the couple to form pairs of choices on their primary rank order lists, which are then considered in order of preference when the matching algorithm is processed. The couple will match to the most preferred pair of programs on the rank order lists where each partner has been offered a position. The algorithm considers only a couple's primary rank order lists when attempting to find a match and does NOT treat a couple's supplemental rank order lists as a unit in the Match. Once a couple has obtained a match from their primary rank order lists, the algorithm searches each supplemental rank order list independently and attempts to place applicants in their most preferred program. Consequently, couples' supplemental rank order lists should be assigned to programs on their primary lists based upon the geographic locations of the programs. For More information about Couples, click here.

How can I learn whether an institution or program I am in interested in ranking has been the subject of a violation investigation conducted by the NRMP?

The NRMP maintains an Institution and Program Violations Report in the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System that is available to applicants who register for any NRMP match. The report displays information about graduate medical education programs and sponsoring institutions that have violated the Match Participation Agreement. Term limits of any sanction(s) imposed for the violation are included to identify the length of time the sanction is in effect

Can I make changes or additions to my rank order list (ROL)?

The (ROL) can be entered in one or more sessions. It can be modified or re-ordered any number of times up until 9:00 p.m. eastern time on the deadline day for rank order list entry. Applicants in the middle of a session at 9:00 p.m. will not be able to complete their session and will be forced off the server. Participants are advised not to wait until the last minute to enter their ROLs so as to avoid any problems at the deadline.

If you change your ROL by adding, moving, or deleting a program, the change is saved and the previous rank order list is deleted from the R3 System. You must certify your ROL again for it to be used in the Match.

No changes can be made to your rank order list after the rank order list deadline. The NRMP will not add, delete, or in any way modify your rank order list.

Are previous versions of my rank order list (ROL) maintained in the R3 System?

Once the currently displayed ROL has been modified online, the previous versions of the list are not retained in the R3 System, regardless of whether they were certified. The ROL that is displayed when the participant logs in is the only version on file with the NRMP. Once the last updates have been made, the participant must certify the final version by the rank order list deadline in order for it to be used in the Match.

How often are the applicant and program rank order lists (ROL) in the R3 System updated?

Applicant and program information is displayed in real time, so users always have current information. Applicant and program lists are updated in the R3 System whenever an applicant or program changes the list.

Will I be able to print a copy of my rank order list (ROL) after or before submission?

Yes. You can print a copy of your ROL at any step during the process by using the Web browser print button. You also can open a printer-friendly version of your ROL by using the View/Print ROL link that appears on the My Rank Order List page under the Options heading. The NRMP strongly recommends that you print a copy of your certified rank order list to keep in your records.

Will I get a confirmation that NRMP received my certified rank order list (ROL)?

Yes. When you certify your (ROL), the NRMP will send to your primary e-mail address a confirmation that includes the number of programs on your list.

How does NRMP know when I've finished my rank order list (ROL)?

When you have entered all of your ranks, you must certify your ROL. Click the red Certify List button. You will then be asked to enter your Password. If you make changes to your ROL, you must recertify it. A Match Status of CERTIFIED ROL in the header (where your name and AAMC ID are displayed) is the indication that you have finished your rank order list.

Is there a limit to the number of ranks I can submit via the Web?

Technically, there is no limit. Remember, however, there is a $30 charge per program ranked for each program over the first 20. For example, a list of 50 would cost an additional $900.

For each partner of a couple, there is $30 charge for each additional "unique" program ranked over the first 30.

Can anyone else see my rank order list (ROL)?

You are the only person, other than the NRMP staff, who can access your ROL unless you give your AAMC ID and password to someone else. Your ROL is limited to need-to-know NRMP Staff.

Why does it take three weeks from rank order list (ROL) deadline to Match Day?

During that time, NRMP takes a number of major steps to assure the accuracy of the Match and the subsequent release of Match information. Those steps include:

• Checking the integrity and completeness of the data.
• Transferring the data to the algorithm module, checking it again, and processing the matching algorithm.
• Verifying the results of the Match and transferring the data into the NRMP databases.
• Conducting the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP).
• Creating more than 60,000 individual reports for applicants, programs, and schools, and assuring confidentiality of that information; the reports are then posted to the Web in accordance with the Match Week schedule.

How will I know if I have matched to a program?

At 12:00 noon on Monday of Match Week, applicants can learn IF they matched to a program on their rank order list by logging in to the NRMP's Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System using their AAMC ID and password. Applicants will be presented with one of the following messages on the Applicant Options page:

1. Congratulations, you have matched!

This message will be displayed for any applicant who is "fully" matched, including

• Applicants who listed and matched to a categorical program.
• Applicants who listed and matched to preliminary and advanced programs.

Other conditions also apply. Applicants who listed only advanced programs on their certified rank order lists and did not list any preliminary positions on a supplemental rank order list will receive this message. Similarly, applicants who included only preliminary programs on their certified rank order lists will receive this statement. The matching algorithm considers an applicant "matched" if he/she lists only one program type on his/her certified rank order list. Applicants who receive this message will not be eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, nor will they have access to the List of Unfilled Programs.

2. Congratulations, you have matched to an advanced position but not a first year position!

This message will be displayed for any applicant who matched to an advanced position but did not match to a preliminary position listed on a supplemental rank order list. Applicants who receive this message and who are deemed eligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the match will have access to the List of Unfilled Programs and will be eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program to obtain a preliminary position. Applicants will not have access to information about unfilled categorical or advanced positions.

3. Congratulations, you have matched to a one-year position!

This message will be displayed for any applicant who matched to a preliminary position but did not match to an advanced position listed on a primary rank order list. Applicants who receive this message and who are deemed eligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the match will have access to the List of Unfilled Programs and will be eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program to obtain an advanced position. Applicants will not have access to information about unfilled categorical or preliminary positions

4. We are sorry, you did not match to any position!

This message will be displayed for any applicant who did not match to any program . For applicants participating as a partner of a couple, this statement also may be displayed if the applicant listed the 999999999 program code on the primary rank order list to indicate '"No Match". Applicants who receive this message and who are deemed eligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the match will have access to the List of Unfilled Programs and will be eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program for any category of unfilled positions.

5. You are NOT matched because you did not submit a certified rank order list!

This message will be displayed for any applicant who registered to participate in the Match but did not certify a rank order list prior to the rank order list certification deadline. Applicants who receive this message and who are deemed eligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the match will have access to the List of Unfilled Programs and will be eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program for any category of unfilled positions.

6. You are NOT matched because you are withdrawn!

This message will be displayed for any applicant who registered to participate in the Match but was withdrawn either by the medical school or by the NRMP. Applicants who are withdrawn because they are ineligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the match will not have access to the List of Unfilled Programs or be allowed to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program unless by 5:00 p.m. eastern time on the Wednesday prior to Match Week the applicant becomes eligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the match. Applicants who were withdrawn by the NRMP because they obtained positions through another matching service will not have access to the List of Unfilled Programs or be allowed to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program .

What happens if I do not match to a position?

Unmatched applicants who submit a certified rank order list and who are deemed eligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the match will have access to the List of Unfilled Programs at 12:00 noon eastern time on Monday of Match Week and will be eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program.

What is the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?

SOAP is the process through which positions offered by unfilled programs are accepted by unmatched applicants during Match Week. SOAP replaces the "Scramble" and provides a standardized and uniform process for obtaining post-match appointments. Unfilled programs electing to participate in SOAP offer positions to SOAP-eligible unmatched applicants through the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System, and positions offered and accepted constitute a binding commitment under the Match Participation Agreement. Detailed information about SOAP can be found in Section 7.0 of the Match Participation Agreement for Applicants and Programs.

How does the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) work?

SOAP is a series of "rounds" that commence at 12:00 noon eastern time on Wednesday of Match Week. At 11:30 a.m. eastern time on that Wednesday, programs must finalize in the R3 System the applicant preference lists they want used during the first round of SOAP. At 12:00 noon, the first SOAP offers are extended through the R3 System to the unmatched applicants listed at the top of programs' preference lists. Offers are extended to as many applicants on a program's preference list as there are unfilled positions in that program. Each "round" of SOAP lasts two hours, during which applicants can accept or reject any offers they receive. Offers are sent at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. SOAP concludes at 5:00 p.m. eastern time on Friday of Match Week.

How will I know if I am eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?

According to Section 7.1 of the Match Participation Agreement for Applicants and Programs, applicants must be (a) registered in the Matching Program; (b) eligible to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the Match; and (c) partially matched or fully unmatched in order to be eligible to participate in SOAP. Applicants are deemed ineligible to participate in SOAP if they fail to meet any of the criteria listed above.

Your eligibility to enter graduate medical education on July 1 in the year of the Match will be determined by the ECFMG® prior to Match Week. At 12:00 noon eastern time the Friday before Match Week, the NRMP will send emails to ALL match applicants indicating whether they are eligible to participate in SOAP. If you are determined to be SOAP-eligible AND you learn on Monday of Match Week that you are unmatched or partially matched, you will have access to the List of Unfilled Programs beginning at 12:00 noon eastern time, and you will be able to apply to unfilled match-participating programs through ERAS®. If you are determined to be SOAP-ineligible, you will not have access to the List of Unfilled Programs and you will be able to apply only to non NRMP match-participating programs during Match Week, even if you are unmatched or partially matched.

How do I apply to or contact programs about unfilled positions during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?

If you are eligible to participate in SOAP, you will apply to match-participating programs beginning at 2:00 p.m. eastern time on Monday of Match Week. You may apply to unfilled programs only through ERAS®, and you will be allowed access only to the categorical, preliminary, and/or advanced unfilled positions for which you are eligible. Other individuals or entities are prohibited from initiating contact on your behalf prior to contact from directors of unfilled programs.

Can I be offered more than one position at a time during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?

Yes. Unfilled programs electing to participate in SOAP will be required to finalize their applicant preference lists in the R3 System by 11:30 a.m. eastern time on Wednesday of Match Week. The first round of SOAP offers will be sent at 12:00 noon eastern time, and applicants who are listed first on more than one program preference list will receive multiple offers during a round of SOAP. If you receive one or more offers during a SOAP round, you will have two hours to accept or reject the offer(s). If you reject an offer or if an offer expires at the conclusion of the two-hour SOAP round, that offer will not be extended again.

If I accept a position during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), is it binding?

Yes. Positions offered and accepted during SOAP constitute a binding commitment subject to the terms and conditions outlined in the Match Participation Agreement for Applicants and Programs. Failure to honor any offer made or accepted during SOAP absent a waiver from the NRMP is a violation and will subject you to an investigation and the potential levying of sanctions.

I just learned that I am not eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). How do I attempt to obtain an unfilled position?

If you are SOAP-ineligible, you (a) may use ERAS® or any other means to submit applications to non-match-participating programs beginning at 2:00 p.m. eastern time on Monday of Match Week; (b) may accept a position in a non-NRMP-match participating program beginning at 12:00 noon eastern time on Wednesday of Match Week; and/or (c) may seek a position in an NRMP match-participating program beginning at 5:00 p.m. eastern time on Friday of Match Week. Other individuals or entities are prohibited from initiating contact on your behalf prior to contact from directors of unfilled programs.

What is the List of Unfilled Programs?

At 12:00 noon eastern time on Monday of Match Week, the NRMP releases the names of programs that did not fill all of their positions when the matching algorithm was processed. The list is accessible only to eligible applicants through the NRMP's Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System. Sharing match information from the R3 System, including the List of Unfilled Programs, with individuals not authorized to receive it or posting match information to any web site or non-NRMP-related matching service is a violation of the Match Participation Agreement.

What happens if I obtain a binding commitment to a program and decide not to accept the position?

The Match Participation Agreement to which you affixed your password when you registered for the Match states that a match between an applicant and a program creates a binding commitment to accept a position if a match results and to start training in good faith (i.e., with the intent to complete the program) on the date specified in the appointment contract. The same binding commitment is established during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) if a program offers a position by listing an applicant on its preference list and the applicant accepts that offer. A decision not to honor that commitment is a breach of the Agreement and will be investigated by the NRMP in accordance with the Policies and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition of Violations of NRMP Agreements. Penalties may be levied if a violation is confirmed.

Under certain limited circumstances, the NRMP may grant to an applicant or program a waiver of the binding commitment if honoring the commitment would result in serious and extreme hardship. Waivers must be requested from, and can be granted only by, the NRMP. Click here for additional information on the waiver review process.

What happens if I ask the program for a waiver from my binding commitment?

The program cannot grant you a waiver from your binding commitment. Once a party has matched or a position has been offered & accepted during the match week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), a waiver of the binding commitment may be obtained only from the NRMP. If you submit to the NRMP a request for a waiver, the NRMP will investigate to determine whether the waiver should be granted. If a waiver is not granted by the NRMP, you will be expected to accept the position. If your waiver is denied and you do not accept the position, you may be prohibited from accepting or starting a position in any program sponsored by a match-participating institution if training would begin within one year from the date of the NRMP's final decision to deny the waiver; in addition, the NRMP will initiate an investigation in accordance with the Policies and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition of Violations of NRMP Agreements. If any program sponsored by match-participating institution offers you a position to begin training during the one-year prohibition, the program and/or institution also will be investigated to determine whether it violated the Match Participation Agreement.

How long must I remain in my program?

Section 5.1 of the Match Participation Agreement states that an applicant who terminates or resigns a position within 45 days of the start date specified in the appointment contract shall be presumed to have breached the Agreement.

I have a binding commitment to a program, but I just learned that I am ineligible to begin training. What should I do?

Section 2.1 of the Match Participation Agreement states that applicants must meet ACGME and institutional requirements prior to the start of training in order to be eligible for the position. If you learn you are ineligible to honor your binding commitment, you must immediately notify the NRMP in writing so that the NRMP can determine whether you and/or the program qualify for a waiver. You also must request a waiver if you are ineligible to honor a position you obtained during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program.

I've signed a contract outside the Matching Program. What happens now?

Under the terms of the Match Participation Agreement, an independent applicant who accepts a concurrent year position outside the Matching Program or through another national matching service must withdraw from the Matching Program. Withdrawal must be completed prior to the rank order list deadline. Failure to do so is a violation of the Match Agreement, which will be investigated by the NRMP in accordance with the Policies and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition of Violations of NRMP Agreements. Independent applicants who elect to participate in the match are prohibited from discussing, interviewing for, accepting a concurrent year position outside the Matching Program or through another national matching service after the rank order list deadline.

What is the process if I'm investigated for a violation of the Match Participation Agreement?

Subsequent to receiving a written report of an alleged violation, the NRMP will solicit information from the applicant and any other individuals with knowledge of the situation. A Preliminary Report that documents the nature of the allegation is prepared.

If the results of the investigation indicate that a violation has not occurred, the case will be closed and all parties will be so notified.

If the results of the investigation indicate a violation has occurred, the Preliminary Report will be distributed to the subject of the investigation, the individual who reported the violation, and any other parties who provided information material to the investigation for their review and to correct the additional information provided to the NRMP.

The Preliminary Report will be reviewed by a Review Panel of the NRMP's Violations Review Committee, which will make the final determination of whether a violation occurred and, if so, the appropriate penalty. A Review Panel Report will be issued to the subject of the violation, who will have ten business days to notify the NRMP of the intent to initiate arbitration. If the subject of the violation initiates arbitration, the NRMP will note in the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System that the party is the subject of a "pending action". That designation will remain in place for the duration of the arbitration process. In addition, if the subject of the violation initiates arbitration, he/she has thirty days from receipt of the Review Panel Report to file with the American Arbitration Association. If the subject of the violation does not request arbitration within ten business days, the Review Panel Report will become the Final Report, and it will be issued to all parties listed on the Report. All Match registrants should review carefully The Policies and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition of Violations of NRMP Agreements.

What does it mean in the R3 System when it states that an institution or program is the subject of "pending action"?

When a violation investigation of an institution or program results in an adverse decision and the adverse action is contested, the institution or program is designated with "pending action" in the R3 System. The designation remains in place until the institution or program has waived or exhausted the opportunity to contest the action pursuant to the Violations Policy. Once the Final Report of the investigation has been issued, the program will be listed on the Institution and Program Violations Report if the NRMP concluded that there was a breach of the Match Participation Agreement.

Updated 08/30/2011